Light MGs
Combloc SAW: Chinese RPD at the Range
I am excited to take an RPD out to the range today – I’ve wanted to try one for quite a while. The RPD is a very light and compact weapon for a squad automatic, […]
Articles by Ian McCollum
Light MGs
RPD: The LMG Adapts to Modern Combat
Today we are looking at a Chinese Type 56 RPD, but we will be focusing on the basic design and why it was adopted in the Soviet Union rather than the details of its use […]
Select-fire Rifles
How to Swap FAMAS Ejection Left to Right
One of the very nice features of the FAMAS is that it can be swapped between left-hand and right-hand ejection in just a few moments without needing any tools or spare parts. I had this […]
Uncategorized
Vickers Gun Meticulously Repaired as a Pilot Training Aid
This is a really interesting artifact of the First World War that I found in a collection and wanted to share (since the owner, understandably, wouldn’t part with it!). All the major powers in the […]
Select-fire Rifles
Mini-Beryl: The Carbine Version of the Polish wz.96
Yesterday we looked at the standard Polish service rifle, the wz.96 Beryl. Today we have the carbine version, the Mini-Beryl. Specifically, we have an early example, predating several of the mid-life improvements that were made […]
Select-fire Rifles
wz.96 Beryl: Poland’s 5.56mm Military AK
With Poland’s entry into NATO in the 1990s, a new service rifles was needed, chambered for the 5.56mm NATO cartridge. Initial development work had been done in 1990/91 to adapt the wz.88 Tantal to 5.56mm, […]
Revolver
New Beretta-Imported MR73 at the Range
The Manurhin MR73 has always been one of the very best combat revolvers made, but they have been hard to find here in the US. That has now changed, as the Beretta group purchased Chapuis, […]
Submachine Guns
MP7A1 vs MP7A2: H&K’s Modern PDW
Today we are taking a look at H&K’s PDW, the MP7. Specifically, we’re going to go over the changes made form the MP7A1 to the MP7A2 pattern…
Bayonet
Bayonet Development for the Lee Enfield No4 Rifle
Having wrapped up our series on the major development of the Lee Enfield rifle in British service, I figured it would be a nice addendum to talk about the bayonets developed for the No4 rifle. […]
Bolt Action Rifles
No4 MkII: The Lee Enfield’s Final Standard Upgrade
The final standard pattern of the venerable Lee Enfield as a standard-issue service rifle was the No4 MkII, introduced after the end of World War Two. The new pattern was adopted to resolve problems that […]